Supporters from both sides made their feelings known before a ball had even been kicked, as the national anthems of England and Argentina were met with a wall of jeering inside the stadium ahead of their highly anticipated semi-final clash.
The pre-match ceremony, traditionally a moment of national pride, was largely swallowed up by a chorus of boos from rival supporters, setting an electric and combative atmosphere for what promised to be a fiercely contested encounter.
The hostile reception to both anthems reflected the intense rivalry between the two nations, whose footballing history has produced some of the most memorable and contentious moments the sport has ever witnessed.
Neither set of fans was willing to show any courtesy to the opposition, ensuring the ill feeling was mutual long before kick-off. The scenes inside the ground underlined just how much was at stake, with a place in the final on the line for both countries.